Combination chair and ladder



April 3, 1951 H. A. GELMAN EIAL COMBINATION CHAIR AND LADDER 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 13, 1949 Z w a April 3, 1951 H. A. GELMANEI'AL 2,547,599

COMBINATION CHAIR AND LADDER Filed Jan. 13, 1949 tread section and anPatented Apr. 3, 1951 Harry A. Gelman and Ma assignors to Triple A P cGelman, Chicago, 111., roducts, Chicago, 111., a

Application January 13, 1949, Serial No. 70,787 Claims. (Cl. 228-30) Themain objects of this invention are to pro- ;vide an improved form ofchair which is easily convertible for use as a temporary step-ladder; toprovide an improved form and arrangement of standards providing supportfor a seat, a back, and a tread extension; to provide a chair of thiskind having an improved form and mounting of an auxiliary tread sectionconveniently shiftable in and out of position to convert said chairtemporarily into a low step-ladder; to provide such an improved form andmounting of an auxiliary association therewith of will cause said treadsecretracted under the chair resilient means which tion to be normallyseat but will permit the tread section to be shifted to extendedstep-ladder position by the easy coaction of a, person's hand and footwithout the necessity of bending or stooping; and to provide an improvedchair of this kind which has the commendable dual characteristics ofeconomical manufacture and attractive appearance.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a step-ladderchair combination embodyingthis invention, the tread section being shown in its folded or.retracted position; p

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, the tread section being shown infull outline in its extended position and in dotted outline in itsfolded position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail showing the arrangement of theretracting sprin for the tread section;

Figs. 4 and 5 are side elevations of this improved step-ladder-chair intwo difierent positions incident to shifting the tread section into itsextended position; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged bottom view of the chair taken on the line 6-6 ofFig. 2 and illustrating the manner in which the seat support standardsare nested and Welded together.

A step-ladder-chair embodying this invention I comprising a seat support1 whereon is mounted a seat 8 and back 9 and a step-ladder or treadextension l0.

The seat support I comprises three separately formed tubular members II, I 2, and i3 bent to provide the usual four legs and horizontal andvertical supports for the seat 8 and back 9, respectively.

The member II is U-shaped, having a portion thereof adjacent to andconnected by the transverse part I 4 bent to nearly right anglesto theremaining portion thereby providing a horizontal seat-supporting portionI 5 at th'upper end of the leg portion l6.

'21 is nearly twice as longas 'to' the parallel sections 25 end sections25 on each of The members I2 and I 3 are identical, each being oftubular form and bent-intermediate its ends to provide anoppositely-extendin leg portion I1 and a back-supporting portion l8connected by a transverse part IS.

The members ll, l2, and I3 are arranged with the transverse parts I 5and I9 nested within each other and welded together asindicated at 20 inFig. 6. This disposes the legs Hiand I! and the back-supporting portionl 8 in the desired relationship to position the seat 8 the desireddistance above the floor and dispose the back 9 in proper relationshipto the seat 8.

The seat 8 and back 9 are of more or less conventional structure, eachembodying suitable upholstery mounted upon a base element of the desiredshape which permit the seat 8 and back 9 to be appropriately attached tothe members ll, l2,and l3.

The step-ladder or tread extension In comprises a, pair of identicalmembers 2| whereon are supported the treads 22. The members 2| arehinged to the members l2 and I3 by a rod 23 and are normally urged intoretracted positions by springs 24.

Each of the members 2| is a tube bent to provide four sections 25, 26,21, and 28. The end section 25 and the intermediate section 21 areparallel to each other and are transversely-disposed to the intermediatesection 26 and the other end section 28. The intermediate section theend section 25.

The threads 22 are preferably covered with a layer of nonfri'ctionmaterial such as rubber or some plastic equivalent and are rigidlyanchored and 21. The tread on the section 21 is positioned forwardly ofthe tread on the end section 25.

' The hinge pin or rod 23 extends through the the frame members 2|adjacent to the contiguous transverse part '26. At its ends the rod 23is supported on the members l2 and I3 a distance above the medianthereof which will dispose the treads 22 horizontal when the endsections 28 of the members 2! rest upon the floor forwardly of themembers l2 and l 3, as shown in Fig. 2.

Coiled springs 24 embrace each end of the rod 23 intermediate therespective members 2| and adjacent member 12 or I 3. One end 29 of eachspring 24 is appropriately anchored to the member 12 or 13.. The otherend 30 of each spring extends rearwardlyfandfis seated in an aperture inthe section 26 ofv one of the members 2| intermediate the parallelsections 25 and 21 thereof. The number of coils for each spring urgingsaid tread 24 and the tensionin thereof is such that when the chair islifted off the floor a sufiicient distance the springs 24 willautomatically swing the step-ladder or tread section ID into a retractedposition under the seat 8 and hold the sections 26 and 28 thereofpractically horizontal, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Suitable friction caps 31 of rubber or other suitable material areplaced over the ends of the sections I6, 11, and 28 of the members H,l2l3,and2l.

When it is desired to swing the tread section In into position topermit. the chair to be used as a low step-ladder, it is necessary onlyfor a person to place the toe of his foot on the rubber cap 3| on one ofthe end sections 28 of the members 2| and press it down to the floor, asshown in Fig, 4. Then, with the hand grasping the back 9, the chair maybe pulled upwardly and slightly rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 5. Suchmovement of the chair is continued until the chair, by its own weight,tends to gravitate to the floor whereupon the tread extension ispositioned, as shown in Fig. 3, to permit one to conveniently step uponto the seat 8 to achieve access to the desired position above thefloor.

Variations and modifications in the details of structure and arrangementof the parts may be resorted to within the spirit and coverage of the Iappended claims.

We claim:

1. A chair of the class described comprising, a pair of spacedseat-supporting standards, seat supported on said standards, a pair oftread frame-members each formed with four sections wherein one end andone intermediate section are parallel and disposed transversely to theother end and intermediate intermediate section being parallel endsection, treads spanning and connected to the corresponding parallelsections of said frame-members, said tread-connected frame-members beinghinged to the respective standards above a median point lengthwise ofsaid standards, said hinge being located on each of said frame-membersadjacent the angle between said one end section and the adjacentsection, said tread frame-members being free to swing in an arc belowthe hinge connection and between said standards, and resilient meansnormally urging said tread-connected framemembers toward their retractedpositions.

2. A chair of the class described comprising, a pair of spacedseat-supporting standards, a seat supported on said standards, a pair oftread frame-members each formed with four sections providing one endsection and one intermediate section which are parallel and which aredisposed transversely to another end section and a second intermediatesection, said one intermediate section being longer than said parallelone end section, treads spanning and connected to the correspondingparallel sections of said frame-members, hinge pins on said parallel endsection of each of said tread frames located adjacent the contiguoustransverse section of said tread frames, said hinge pins being mountedon said seat standards at a point which will dispose said treads in ahorizontal position when said other end sections of each of saidtread-frames rest upon the floor forwardly of said seatsupportingstandards, and a spring normally frame members toward their retractedpositions.

sections, said onelonger than said- 3. A chair of the class describedcomprising, a pair of spaced seat-supporting standards, a seat supportedon said standards, a pair of tread frame-members each formed with foursections providing one end section and one intermediate section whichare parallel and which are disposed transversely to another end sectionand a second intermediate section, said one intermediate section beinglonger than said parallel end section, treads spanning and connected tothe corresponding parallel sections of said framemembers, hinge pins onsaid one end section of each of said tread frames and located adjacentthe contiguous transverse section of said tread frames, said hinge pinsbeing mounted on said seat standards at a point which will dispose saidtreads in a horizontal position when said other end sections of each ofsaid tread-frames rest upon the floor forwardly of said seat-supportingstandards, and a torsion spring coiled about each of said hinge pinshaving one end of each spring anchored to the adjacent standard and theother end anchored to said contiguous transverse section of each of saidtread-frames. 4. A chair of the class described comprising seatsupporting standards, a seat supported thereon, a tread frame includingfour sections providing a first tread section, a second tread sectiondisposed parallel to said first tread section, an intermediate sectioninterconnecting said first and second tread sections, and a supportingsection connected to said second tread section and pivot means forpivotally interconnecting said tread frame and said supportingstandards, said pivot means being connected to said tread frame atapoint adjacent the rear end of said first tread section and connectedto said supporting standards at a point which will dispose said firstand second tread sections in a horizontal position when said supportingsection of said tread frame rests upon the fioor forwardly of said seatsupporting standards and which will permit said tread frame to be swungintermediate said standards and in an arc below said pivotal connectionto a substantially vertical position with the forwardmost edge of saidsecond tread section disposed above the floor whereby said tread framemay rest beneath said seat.

5. A chair of the character described in claim 4 including a yieldingmeans normally urging said tread frame toward its retracted positionbeneath said seat.

' HARRY A. GELMAN.

'MAC GELMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

